Antigua

Antigua is a prominent island located within the Lesser Antilles. It sits in the Caribbean region as one of the Leeward Islands. The island is the most populous part of the nation of Antigua and Barbuda. This country became an independent state within the Commonwealth of Nations on 1 November 1981. Most residents live in the island's Central Plain. The main city is St. John's, which is situated in the north-west.

This city features a deep harbour capable of accommodating large cruise ships.

The island's history began with the Guanahatabey people. Later, the Arawak people migrated from the mainland to settle there. They arrived by paddling canoes, known as piraguas, from present-day Venezuela. The Arawak introduced agriculture to the islands. They cultivated crops like corn, chili peppers, guava, tobacco, and cotton. They also grew a unique variety called the Antiguan "black" pineapple.

Many Arawak staples remain in Antiguan cuisine today. For example, dukuna is a sweet, steamed dumpling made from grated sweet potatoes. Another staple is fungi, which is a cooked paste made of cornmeal and water.

Around A.D. 1100, most Arawak people left the island. The Carib people arrived and pushed out many indigenous groups. The Caribs possessed superior weapons and seafaring skills. This allowed them to defeat many Arawak nations in the West Indies.

Indigenous peoples of this region built excellent sea vessels. These ships allowed them to navigate the Atlantic and Caribbean. Their descendants still live throughout South America, specifically in Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia.

In 1493, Christopher Columbus became the first European to visit Antigua. He was sailing for Spain at the time. He named the island Antigua, which means "ancient" or "old" in Spanish. He likely named it after a chapel or mural in Seville Cathedral. English colonization began later in 1632. A group of colonists left St Kitts to settle the island. Christopher Codrington established the first permanent English settlement. Antigua eventually became a profitable sugar colony and a major part of British trade.

Sugar production became the island's main crop around 1674. Christopher Codrington established the Betty's Hope plantation, which was the first full-scale sugar plantation. This success led other planters to switch from tobacco to sugar. This shift required a massive amount of unpaid labour. Consequently, many enslaved Africans were imported to work the cane crops.

The work was extremely dangerous and physically exhausting. Slaves faced long days under the hot sun in the fields.

They also worked in sugar mills and boiling houses. In these mills, wooden or metal rollers were used to crush cane. Workers risked losing limbs to these machines.

In boiling houses, the high temperatures created a constant risk of severe burns.

Resistance to enslavement was common among the population. In 1736, an enslaved man known as Prince Klaas allegedly planned a rebellion. He was crowned "King of the Coromantees" in a pasture near St. John's. The colonial authorities discovered the plot and responded with a brutal crackdown. Many people were executed during this period. Eventually, British laws changed. Great Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807. All existing slaves were emancipated in 1834.

In the late 18th century, Lord Horatio Nelson arrived in Antigua. He served as the Senior Naval Officer of the Leeward Islands from 1784 to 1787. He attempted to enforce the Navigation Acts, which restricted trade with the United States. This caused tension with local merchants. A dockyard was started in 1725 to support British naval power. This site was later named Nelson's Dockyard in his honour. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the south-eastern coast.

Today, the island relies heavily on tourism. English Harbour and Falmouth are popular destinations for yachting and sailing.

Every December, the island hosts one of the largest charter yacht shows in the world.